Experiences Food

Argentine cuisine is the result of a combination of European and indigenous flavours and the abundant agricultural produce of the country’s fertile land. Every region has different specialities but Argentina’s world famous beef and asado (barbeque) can be found everywhere. The asado is a key part of Argentine culture. 

Argentina’s beef comes mostly from the Pampas around Buenos Aires, Cordoba, and the North East. Due to this area’s extensive cattle and cereal farming, the typical food is asado, bread and dairy products. For sea food, head to the Atlantic coast.

Buenos Aires, like all cosmopolitan cities, has a wide selection of restaurants. Here, you can try all of Argentina’s regional varieties, as well as the latest gourmet trends from around the world. Typical porteña cuisine reflects the city’s Italian and Spanish influences. Pasta, pizza, milanesas (breaded veal), Spanish omelettes, paellas, stews, and wonderful ice cream are all worth trying. The areas with the highest concentration of restaurants are Palermo, Puerto Madero and San Telmo. 

In the North and Central West, potatoes and corn dominate the diet. This is the area to try Argentine tamales, empanadas (delicious small pastries with a variety of savoury fillings) and for the daring, llama meat.

In the North East, menus feature a good selection of local fresh fish, such as dorado, surubi and pacu. This is also where yerba mate (the leaves of which are used in the infusion known as “mate”) is cultivated. Drinking mate is part of Argentina’s gaucho tradition. You drink it hot, through a metal straw, out of a small round container. It contains antioxidants and caffeine, making it a stimulant. Mate is a social drink and the same recipient and straw are shared between friends and strangers alike.   

Patagonia is famous for its lamb, but other specialities include smoked venison and boar, salmon, trout, and sea food. Homemade jams made of Patagonian fruit and berries, and the chocolate in the Lake District, are a must for anyone with a sweet tooth.